Trials of Life Outdated
by FrostyTheDragon
Summary: Taking place at the beginning of Shippuden, Naruto has finally returned, though his trip lasted 7 years rather than 3. Many things have happened after this time. How will Konoha react? Can his friends accept how he has become? With turbulant times ahead, Naruto will be put to the ultimate test. Rated M for adult themes / violence. Also, expect sporadic updates!
1. Chapter 1

Naruto walked along the dirt path, lost in thought. It had been seven years since he had last walked the road to Konoha. Three years seemed like a lifetime ago to him now. So much had happened in that seemingly short period of time. He had lost so much, but gained so much more. His black cloak billowed out behind him as the wind blew through the forest, revealing the black jacket and pants he wore. He had long foregone the orange that had been a staple in his style for years, adopting the black of mourning. His headband was still wrapped around his forehead, though now it bore a long, jagged scar that extended down over his right eye. The eyepatch was simple, just enough to cover the ruined eye.

"You there, stop," the guard at the Konoha gates shouted, jogging to Naruto's side. He pulled out a clipboard and peered underneath Naruto's hood. "Who are you? What is your business in Konoha?"

He threw back the hood, revealing his spiked blonde hair and whisker-like scars. Naruto glared at the jonin, growling, "Naruto Uzumaki. Here to see the Hokage."

The guard paled slightly. "Of course, please, go on through."

Naruto began to walk into the walled village, knowing full well that the guard would send a message to the Hokage's office. He drew his hood up again to shield himself from the sun's rays as they beat down on the village. His good eye turned black, the irises turning a bloody red. The villagers paid him no heed as he wandered through the crowded streets. He doubted anyone would recognize him even if they could see his face.

The walk to Hokage Tower was short, but Naruto enjoyed the time to feel out his home with his chakra. His good mood soured, however, as Shizune greeted him at the door. She looked as the man approached, not truly believing that this was the same boy who had left. Something about the aura around him set her neck hairs on end, but she shook of the feeling and embraced him in a hug.

"It's so good to see you again, Naruto," she said. "It's been too long."

He returned the hug, albeit begrudgingly. "Yeah, it has been. Is Tsunade in her office?"

Shizune withdrew and nodded, opening the door and ushering him through. They walked through the halls in silence, Naruto offering no word on what had occurred on his adventures with Jiraiya. People walked by, casting nervous glances at the hooded man. Many were shinobi and could sense the same aura that had set Shizune off, but her presence reassured them to an extent.

When they reached the office door, Shizune knocked softly while Naruto withdrew his hood. There was a small shuffling behind the door, and Tsunade opened the door. "Naruto, come in. Shizune, please leave us be for a while."

Bowing, Shizune took up a spot next to the door to deter anyone entering. "Of course, lady."

Tsunade pulled Naruto into her office and slammed the door. Tears in her eyes, she grabbed Naruto into a hug. She cried softly, the weight of not knowing whether he was alive or dead finally draining from her.

"Don't you dare scare me like that again, Naruto," she sobbed. "You had us all worried so much."

Naruto rested his head on her shoulder and smiled, glad to finally be home again. They stood there for several moments before a small cough came from the couch by the desk. Naruto looked up as Kakashi stood. His eyes widened as his sensei approached, extending a hand to the young man.

Naruto shook his offered hand. "Looks like we're twins, Kakashi," Naruto chuckled, gesturing to his eyepatch.

Kakashi's visible eye widened slightly. "Yeah, I guess we are. What happened to you, Naruto?"

Tsunade made her way to the desk and fumbled around a drawer before picking up an unopened bottle of sake. She gestured for Kakashi and Naruto to sit, and together they took a drink before continuing.

"Naruto," Tsunade said, her face growing cold. "Where is Jiraiya? No one has heard from him or you in four years."

Naruto cast his eyes downward. He gripped his cup in his hands, the ceramic cracking. "Sensei Jiraiya is dead, Tsunade-sama. I...I killed him."

The room turned silent as Kakashi and Tsunade looked at Naruto, shocked by his words. Their minds raced as to how to approach the situation, but finally Kakashi simply asked, "What do you mean, you killed him?"

"I mean," Naruto said, taking a deep drink of sake, "that his blood is on my hands. I killed him with my own two hands."

"Naruto," Tsunade whispered, "Please tell us what happened."

Knowing it was not a question, Naruto placed the cup on the table and eased back into the couch, removing his katana from his back and placing it next to him in easy reach. "Jiraiya and I were ambushed by a group of mercenaries. They wanted the bounty on his head and mine."

"You have a bounty?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Apparently, it's around one million ryo. Being a jinchuriki is expensive, it seems. We were ambushed and we managed to kill most of them. They were mostly low-level renegade shinobi, though there were three who were experienced. I'd say junin level. They were known as the Elemental Brothers."

Tsunade stiffened. "They were supposed to be dead. I thought they were killed in skirmishes with Kiri?"

"Nope, they were way too good to be dead," Naruto said. "That's how I lost my eye. They each had powerful techniques, and I was cocky. When that happened, I lost control of Kurama and began to transform."

"Who's Kurama?" Kakashi asked.

Gesturing to his stomach, Naruto took another drink of sake. "The fox's name is Kurama. When I lost control, Jiraiya tried to stop it. He tried to activate a seal to break the fox's hold. It didn't matter, and I killed him while I was transformed."

Tsunade and Kakashi looked at each other. Kakashi spoke, saying, "Naruto, that's not your fault. The fox was the one who took control and killed Jiraiya."

"That's just the thing, sensei. The seal that dad placed on me, the seal that was holding Kurama in me, was faulty."

"Your father?"

"The Yondaime," Naruto smiled. "I don't blame anyone for not telling me. Hiruzen had his reasons. Though I wish I knew sooner, I know now and that's what's important. Anyways, the seal that was given to me was not complete. The original seal, the one created by the Uzumaki clan, would remove all negative effects from the sealed creature. The seal I was given lacked that part of the seal. When Kurama attacked Konoha originally, he was under the control of a sharingan. The same 'suggestions' were still present all along."

"So the tailed beast was under someone's control?" Tsunade asked. "Who could do that?"

Naruto shrugged. "Not sure, Kurama can't remember anything except the sharingan. Speaking of which…"

Removing a kunai from his thigh bag, Naruto made a small cut on his palm. He slapped it down on his arm and a summoning seal appeared. "Summon: One-Tails."

There was a puff of smoke and Kakashi leapt out of his seat, kunai at the ready. On Naruto's arm sat a small orange fox barely smaller than Naruto's forearm, his single tail swaying side to side. The fox looked at Kakashi and jumped from Naruto's arm, walking to the shinobi.

"Hello, Kakashi Hatake of the Sharingan," the fox said.

Tsunade looked from Naruto to the fox. "What the hell is that?"

Naruto smiled and patted his lap. The fox took a spot and curled up, purring as Naruto stroked its spine. "Kurama is the only tailed beast capable of this. I can summon different tailed versions of him to the physical world. So far, I've managed to summon up to the Six-Tails. Past that, I can't maintain a stable chakra stream."

Kakashi nervously sat back down, eyeing the fox. "So that's the same tailed beast?"

"That's me," the One-Tails squeaked. The high-pitched voice was almost comical given the size. "I've been watching you Kakashi. You've done so much for Naruto."

The One-Tails crawled across the couch to Kakashi, where he nuzzled the older shinobi's hand. "Thank you so much!"

Tsunade shook her head. "I can't believe that the demon fox is just...that."

Naruto chuckled. "It took me a while to get used to him too, but after I repaired the seal, the sharingan's effects were removed. Turns out, Kurama just wants to see places. He isn't actually a bad guy."

Kakashi had unconsciously began to pet the One-Tails, though he jerked slightly as it began to purr. "This is too weird, Naruto. Too weird."

"Kurama actually broke me from the transformation after Jiraiya died," Naruto said solemnly. "He kept the chakra at bay even with the sharingan affecting him. It let me go to Uzushio and get the real seal."

Tsunade gave Naruto a curious look. "You went to Uzushio?"

"I knew the only way to get the original seal was to go to my clan's homeland," Naruto said. "I found a secret repository and found the seal. After fixing Kurama and I, I took everything and made a home there for a while."

"I'm guessing you didn't want to come back here because of Jiraiya, right?" Tsunade asked.

Naruto nodded. "I couldn't face you, Granny Tsunade. I couldn't face the truth."

Tsunade could feel her heart break as Naruto broke down, his eye filling with tears. She reached out and put a comforting hand on his knee. Kakashi and Kurama both looked at Naruto sadly.

"Naruto," Kurama squeaked. "I killed him, not you."

"No," Naruto cried. "We both did. It was both of us that killed our sensei."

The One-Tails' ears drooped, laying flat against its head in sorrow. Kurama had almost broke when he was finally released from the sharingan. Twice, he had been controlled against his will. In the past, he had only taken to violence when he or his family was harmed. Now, he had come to see Konoha as his family. Naruto had given him that chance.

"Naruto, let's go get some ramen," Kakashi said, placing a firm hand on his student's shoulder. "My treat."

Naruto wiped his tears away and nodded. "Can I stay with you for a bit, Granny Tsunade? I sold my apartment before I left."

"Of course, idiot," Tsunade smiled. "Stay as long as you like. I'll have a key made for you."

"Thanks," Naruto said, picking up his katana and slinging it over his shoulder. "Kurama, want to go explore Konoha?"

Kurama's eyes lit up. "Yeah! Don't worry about me, I'll be quiet and out of sight. Can I introduce myself to your friends if I meet them?"

Patting the One-Tails on the head, he chuckled. "Not yet, give it time. I'll introduce you to them. For now, keep out of sight. If you want, and if Granny Tsunade is alright, you can stay here with her too."

"Too weird," Tsunade sighed, sitting in her desk chair. "It's fine though. I don't have fox food, though."

Kurama laughed a little and smiled at her. "I don't eat normal food. I absorb chakra from Naruto. While I'd rather take it from something else, we haven't found anything so far that has the right amount."

Kakashi put a hand on his chin in thought. "I might have something you can use. I'll have to find it."

Kurama purred and jumped onto Kakashi's shoulder. "Thanks Kakashi!"

Kakashi nervously pet the fox and walked out behind Naruto. Just as they passed the threshold, Kurama was gone. He looked around for the fox, but even his sharingan couldn't pick out the chakra signature.

"Kurama can phase through shadows to an extent," Naruto explained. "Comes in handy when gathering information."

"Yeah, it would be," Kakashi muttered.

"I think I'll start finding people tomorrow," Naruto said as they walked out of Hokage Tower. He drew his hood over his head again even though it had turned darker. "I'd rather just eat and sleep tonight. I've been walking all day."

"Okay," Kakashi said. He and Naruto made their way to Ichiraku. They passed by several people who began to whisper amongst themselves. He knew that they were talking about Naruto, even if they didn't know it was him.

When they reached Ichiraku, Kakashi sat down at the bar and waved to Teuchi. "Yo! Two ramen, please."

Teuchi looked at Naruto inquisingly. "Who's your friend Kakashi?"

Ayame walked out of the back room just as Naruto pulled back his hood. She gasped and dropped all the bowls she was carrying. Teuchi just stood there with his mouth gaping. Running around the counter, she jumped Naruto. "Naruto! You're back!"

Naruto averted his gaze, embarrassed. "Yeah, can we keep it low?"

Kakashi's blood ran cold as he saw the expression on Ayame's face. _Oh shit_.

"Naruto," Ayame said sweetly, tapping a wooden spoon against her palm. "Do you know how much we worried for you?"

Naruto began to back away from the counter, nervously stuttering, "I'm sorry, I had some things going on."

"You idiot," Ayame chuckled, patting Naruto on the head. "You need to at least call. We really did worry for you. Ramen is on the house today. Right, Kakashi?"

He quickly put away his wallet as she smiled at him. Kakashi had faced death too many times to count and had survived. This, however, was what true fear was. "Of course!"

Teuchi was already moving, his favorite customer's order long memorized. Soon, he had two bowls of ramen in front of the shinobi, a smile trying to break his face. "It's good to have you back, Naruto."

Naruto smiled and began to slurp at his ramen, purposely ignoring the looks of Teuchi and Ayame. He'd have to come back every day for a month before he would be able to shrug off the guilt of not even sending them a letter. He was back to stay, though, and coming here wouldn't be a problem.

"Hey Ayame! Hey Teuchi!"

Kakashi looked over as Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji ducked underneath the door flaps. They sat down and were laughing amongst each other. They hadn't noticed them yet, and he looked at Naruto to gauge his reaction. The young man had already pulled his hood back up to hide his face. Kakashi's heart fell, knowing it would take a lot of time for Naruto to show his face. His mind was filled with guilt, and Kakashi knew that it wouldn't break easily.

"Hey Kakashi sensei!" Shikamaru said, waving. "Who's your friend?"

"Just a friend from the Land of Iron passing through," Kakashi said. He patted Naruto on the back, making him spill some ramen. "He and I were old comrades."

"How cool!" Choji said. He extended his hand to Naruto. "Nice to meet you, Mr -"

"Iyaki Takahashi," Naruto said, shaking hands with Choji without looking his way. "Don't wear it out."

Choji and Ino looked at the hooded man with irritated expressions. Shikamaru just looked thoughtful, resting his chin on his hand. Ayame and Teuchi watched the exchange nervously. Eventually, Kakashi spoke.

"Iyaki, maybe we should go?"

Naruto nodded and stood, thanking Teuchi and Ayame before leaving. Kakashi followed Naruto into the street. Before either of them noticed, Naruto walked into someone and cursed.

"I'm sorry, madam," he said, looking at the woman he had walked into.

"Naruto?" Sakura said, her eyes widening.

Kakashi looked onward with dread. "Shit."

**AN: Hey everyone! Welcome to the first chapter of my Naruto fanfiction! Not sure if the title will stick, but it'll work for now. I'm a 'write by the seat of my pants' kind of writer, so I have a very general idea of what I'm writing, but largely like to let the story flow based on how my characters are. Hence, titles are usually the last thing to happen. Please feel free to leave a review, as it helps me to know if this is something worth continuing! Thanks and have a good one!**


	2. Chapter 2

"Naruto?" Sakura said, her eyes widening.

Kakashi looked onward with dread. "Shit."

Naruto had the exact same thought. He quickly pulled his hood down further and walked away, ignoring the looks he got. Kakashi followed, casting worried looks at Sakura as she began to follow them. Her skin paled and her eyes began to water.

"Is that you, Naruto?" she screamed. "Did you finally come back?"

Kakashi almost ran into Naruto as he stopped suddenly. Even Sakura could see him shaking, though whether it was from nerves or something else was too hard to tell. She walked up to them and forced Naruto to turn around, looking at his face in shock. Her mind reeled as she looked at the face of her old teammate, her best friend. She had hoped even when others had given up that he would return.

"Naruto," she whispered. "You really did come back."

The young man's eye was wide open, his mind blank. He hadn't expected this. He hadn't prepared himself for seeing Sakura. Not yet, not now. Yet, even now, he felt his mind go blank as warmth spread throughout his body. His normally-turbulent mind was calm. "Sakura."

She buried her face in his chest, tears soaking into his cloak. He pulled her into a hug and stood there as people gathered to watch. Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji walked up behind Kakashi.

"So the idiot came back," Ino said. "Why did you lie to us, Kakashi sensei?"

"He didn't want to see anyone today," Kakashi said. "He probably wasn't ready to face you all yet."

"Why's that?" Choji asked, still slurping on ramen. "We're his friends after all."

_After what he's been through, he might have doubted that_, Kakashi thought. He caught a glance of orange out of the corner of his eye and noticed Kurama standing in the alleyway, his eyes just as wide as Naruto's. Excusing himself, Kakashi walked to the small fox and picked up him. "What's going through Naruto's mind?"

Kurama shook his head. "Not sure. It's too pulled away for me to look. From what I can see, I'd say shock more than anything."

Kakashi nodded and replaced the fox onto his shoulder. "Are you okay being seen?"

Nervously, Kurama licked his lips. "I'll be fine. Kakashi, as long as Naruto is fine, I don't care what happens to me. He is my priority."

Kakashi stepped into the large crowd of people, the sea of bodies splitting before him. Non-shinobi naturally avoided him, something about 'feeling violence' he'd been told. Most non-shinobi felt vulnerable around shinobi, like a sheep amongst wolves. As he reached Naruto and Sakura, he pulled them into an alleyway followed closely by the other team.

"We should get out of here before we have our reunion," Kakashi said. "Naruto, why don't we head to the barracks? We can get some quiet there."

Naruto nodded, and Kurama jumped from Kakashi to Naruto. The shinobi began to walk in the direction of the barracks, leaving behind a very confused crowd of people. As they walked, Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji looked at Naruto in a mixture of disbelief and awe. They hated to admit it, but they had doubted Naruto would ever come back to the village. Now, here he was in the flesh. Sakura walked next to him, his hand comfortingly on her shoulder.

They entered the barracks, a simple building by the wall meant to temporarily house shinobi with no home or between missions. Kakashi opened the door and entered. They all walked through, though Kurama began to shake slightly as eyes fell on him.

"Kurama, need to go back?" Naruto asked him quietly.

In answer, Kurama disappeared in a small puff of smoke. Naruto couldn't blame the fox, he was feeling on edge himself. Nothing could have prepared him for this.

Kakashi lead them into a small conference room. When everyone was inside, he shut the door and activated the seal on the door, stopping anyone from eavesdropping. While everyone else sat down, he remained standing for the moment.

"Now then," he said with a smile, "how is everyone?"

Shikamaru coughed and looked at Naruto. "Are you really him?"

Naruto pulled back his hood, unsurprised by their shocked expressions. He was still not used to the scars and eyepatch even four years after he got them. "Yeah, I am Naruto Uzumaki."

Ino stood and slammed her hands on the table, making everyone jerk. "You ass! Why did you leave for so long? Would it have killed you to send a letter or something? Call?"

"Ino, relax," Kakashi warned. "You don't know what he's been through."

The Yamanaka grumbled and sat back down, crossing her arms. Choji spoke next, dead serious. "Naruto, why did you stay away so long?"

Naruto stared at Choji, his one eye starting to grow dark again. He stopped it before it got fully black, but Kakashi noticed the change and noted to ask him about it. Naruto pondered his words carefully, knowing Sakura was listening too.

"I had some problems that aren't pertinent to you," he said coldly. "I'm here now. End of story."

"Not end of story!" Ino shouted again. "You were gone for seven years Naruto! _Seven years_! You can't possibly come back thinking everything is going to be okay. You left us!"

He couldn't stop his eye this time, and everyone was cold as they looked into his black and red eye. "You know nothing," he hissed. "Now sit down and shut up."

Ino could feel fear begin to grow in her. She sat down and avoided his gaze, choosing to look at Choji instead.

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. "What's with the eye Naruto?"

"It's a side effect of the true Eight Trigrams Seal. The one keeping Kurama inside me."

"You mean the demon fox?" Choji asked. "I didn't know it had a name."

Naruto turned his gaze to Choji, who almost choked on his chips. "_He_ does have a name. Kurama is the demon fox, though he's far more docile than anyone thought."

Kakashi sat down next to Naruto. "Can you summon him?"

Closing his eye, Naruto stepped into his mindscape. Gone was the sewers of his youth. In its place, a sprawling grassland stretched as far as the eye could see. Kurama's cage was transformed into a massive palace, allowing him to roam largely as he wished. A lake sat next to the palace with a small dock.

Kurama sat on the dock, his head lowered. Naruto could see even from where he stood that tears came from the fox. He placed a hand on Kurama's shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile. "You did great, Kurama."

"I just don't want to be a burden, Naruto," the fox cried. "I want to help you."

"Can I summon you? I'll do three tails this time so you can feel more comfortable," Naruto asked. He had learned early on, the closer Kurama was to nine tails the more at ease he was when summoned.

"Of course," Kurama said, wiping his tears away. "I'll be ready."

Opening his eye, Naruto once more pulled a kunai and sliced into his palm, brushing the blood on his arm. "Summon: Three Tails."

Kurama appeared in a puff of smoke behind Naruto. He peered out from behind the chair at the scared faces of the other humans. Even Sakura, shocked though she was, stared in horror at the tailed fox. Naruto motioned for him to come beside him, and Kurama obliged, nuzzling Naruto's hand.

"Kurama was under the control of the sharingan while you all knew him," Naruto explained. "Now, he's free and his own fox."

Nervous, Kurama smiled and gave a sheepish wave. "Hello, Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji."

"It can talk?" Shikamaru gasped.

"I've always been able to talk," Kurama said. "I just had to stay inside Naruto for everyone's safety."

Ino huffed. "Until you tried to kill us."

"Ino, one more and I will break you," Naruto snarled. "That wasn't Kurama."

"And how do we know that?" she challenged. "He could be playing a trick, trying to get you to lower your guard and take over then!"

Kurama closed his eyes and opened them, showing them to be the same as Naruto's: black with red irises. "The seal has made us whole," they said in perfect unison. "We are two, yet one. Our chakra, our minds, and our souls have become united."

Kakashi pulled up his headband and activated his sharingan. He was shocked to find that Kurama's chakra and Naruto's flowed through both beings, not just one or the other. "They're right. Their chakra is intermingled."

"What the hell?" Shikamaru whispered.

"Holy shit," Choji swore. "I wonder how everyone else is going to take it."

"You are to tell no one," Kakashi said firmly, looking at the Leaf shinobi. "Naruto will decide who knows until the Hokage decides otherwise."

The three nodded. Their attention was diverted, however, when Sakura spoke up for the first time.

"Is the Naruto I knew still there?"

Naruto was taken aback by the question. His mind raced, trying to figure out an appropriate answer. When he failed to formulate an answer, Kurama spoke up.

"I'm not sure you'll believe me, you have no right to, but Naruto as you knew him is there," the fox said softly, looking at Sakura with his own eyes. "He has grown up, true, but he's still there."

Sakura's eyes watered up again, and Kurama slowly stepped to her side. He sat patiently before she reached over and touched his ears. Closing his eyes, he leaned into her touch and purred. Naruto stood and walked over to her, putting a hand under her chin and lifting it to look him in the eye. "I'm here, Sakura. I promise."

She jumped up and hugged him again, sobbing loudly into him. Kakashi and the others left, their curiosity satisfied for now. Kurama disappeared, chuckling. The two stood there holding each other. Eventually, Sakura pulled back and looked at him. "Thank you for coming back."

Naruto smiled. "You don't have to thank me. Truth be told, I was most nervous about seeing you."

Smiling, Sakura leaned on him. "Why's that?"

"I didn't know how to tell you about what's happened, about how I've changed. There's so much, and I just didn't know how to tell you," he whispered.

"Walk me home," she said. "Tell me over some tea."

Naruto nodded and they left the barracks, walking along the dirt roads. They chatted as they walked, reminiscing about the times they had been to that store, or that restaurant as kids. The moon hung low in the sky, illuminating Konoha in a soft silver glow. Most villagers had gone home, closing their shops and returning to their families. Many times, Naruto had found himself jealous of their families. Over time, however, he had come to have a family of his own.

"Hey, I never asked," Sakura said. "Where's Jiraiya sensei? Did he leave already?"

Naruto stopped in his tracks, catching Sakura off guard. He clenched his fists, shaking. His teeth clenched together painfully, but he didn't notice as his mind went blank. He felt the blood on his hands, the impact of his fist against Jiraiya's body. He remembered the look as his godfather died in his arms.

"Naruto?" Sakura asked, reaching out slowly. "You okay?"

Naruto was gone, though. In a moment, he had disappeared from where he had been standing, leaving her alone in the street. She looked around frantically, calling his name. She cursed and began to walk towards the Senju grounds. "Why did he just run off? What did I say?"

"You mentioned Jiraiya," Kakashi said, stepping from around a building. "Sorry, I wanted to make sure he was okay."

"Kakashi sensei, why did mentioning Jiraiya sensei make him go off like that?"

In a cold voice on the edge of breaking, Kakashi told Sakura what Naruto had told Tsunade and him only hours before. As he talked, Sakura cupped a hand to her mouth. When he finished, she was shaking like he had, a mixture of sorrow and anger roiling through her. "I...I need to go to him and apologize. I need him to know that I'm sorry!"

Kakashi walked to her and placed a hand on her head, smiling sadly. "I think he already knows. Even when he told us, I could tell it took everything for him to not do anything. Wounds like that take years to heal, if they ever do. Leave him tonight. We'll talk to him tomorrow, okay?"

Sakura nodded and started to walk home, Kakashi leaving for his own home. Thoughts raged through her mind each step she took. Mostly, she was angry at herself. She always said the wrong thing to him, each and every time.

"Naruto, I just don't want you to leave me again," she whispered.

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan," a voice squeaked from behind her. She spun around to come eye-to-eye to Kurama as he stood there in his One-Tails.

She swore and nervously looked at the One-Tails. "What do you want, Kurama?"

Kurama's ears flattened slightly. He knew coming here without Naruto was dangerous, but he cared for his jinjuriki too much. "Sakura, please listen. Naruto is hurt. He needs people around him who care for him. I have done what I can to help him. However, being under the sharingan's control for that amount of time has made my word worthless. Please, I won't let him leave. Just be patient with him."

Sakura gasped as tears began to fall from the fox. "I just don't want Naruto to hurt anymore," he sobbed.

She walked slowly to him, kneeling down so that she could put a hand on his head. He looked at her, his eyes widening. Sakura smiled at him. "Thank you, Kurama. Since Naruto's gone, do you want some tea?"

Kurama perked up, his ears fully extended once more. "Please, can I?"

She chuckled, realizing that Kurama was like Naruto when he was a kid. "Just follow me. Do you need a ride?"

The fox grunted and a second tail popped into existence next to his current tail. Sakura blinked, unsure of what she actually saw. "Did you grow another tail?"

"Yeah, I can't do it much but I'm only at two tails so it's fine," Kurama said, growing in size until he was nearly the size of a medium-sized dog. "It grows my size too so I can keep up."

Sakura nodded and began to walk to her home, Kurama following beside her. She looked at the moon and sighed. How had life come to this?

**AN: Hey everyone! I was still wanting to type and the scene was fresh in my head, so I went ahead and typed it up for your reading pleasure. Please leave a review telling me what you thought! Remember, it helps me know if this is worth pursuing! Thanks a bunch and have a good one!**


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, Naruto decided to walk around the village and figure out how to apologize to Sakura. He didn't want to leave her there alone, but he didn't want her to see him like that. He hadn't even gone to the Senju grounds last night, taking a spot in a tree near the gates. His hood was down for once, though he only did it begrudgingly. There would be no stopping the news he was back, not after yesterday. Naruto decided to face the music, but still disliked the idea.

Villagers walked the streets, making it more packed than the day before. He wondered if there was any events coming up. His birthday was almost upon him, unfortunately. It was always a sore spot for him. Years of abuse did that to a kid.

"Naruto!" someone shouted ahead of him.

He looked up and came face to face with Rock Lee, Tenten, and Neji. Naruto gulped but remembered his promise to himself. Face the music. He gave them a small wave as Lee jumped at him, shouting something about youth. Tenten nervously pulled him back, and Neji smiled softly. "How've you guys been?"

"Oh Naruto! We've been worried sick," Lee cried, tears falling from his eyes. Naruto could almost see the sparkles around his face. "Finally, my rival has returned! Now we can once again compete and enjoy the flowers of youth!"

"What he means is," Tenten smiled, jabbing Lee in the side, "is it's good to have you back."

He smiled weakly as Neji extended his hand. Naruto shook it, keeping his eye on the other hand out of habit.

"How have you been?" Neji asked. "You seem to be a little worse for wear."

"It's been a long seven years," Naruto sighed. He gestured to the scar and eyepatch.

Neji nodded and withdrew his hand, opting to step back in line with Tenten and Lee. "Well, feel free to stop by the Hyuuga grounds if you need anything."

Naruto nodded and thanked them as they left, off to report for a mission. He wondered if his credentials still stood. Then it dawned on him he wasn't even a chunin. Shrugging, he walked down the road. Several people cast sidelong glances at him, but he ignored them. No one would dare touch him, not anymore.

It was several minutes before he ran into another old friend: Shino. The Aburame was browsing the flower shop, humming to himself. When he noticed Naruto, he waved. "Hello Naruto."

He smiled and nodded. "What's up Shino?"

"I'm looking at the flowers. Why? I have a date tonight."

Naruto's eye widened slightly. "Well who's the lucky girl?"

"She is another of the Aburame clan, my fourth cousin," Shino said, picking up a bouquet of roses.

"Well good luck," Naruto said. He knew Shino was a man of few words. He liked that, having become one himself. Besides, all the talking was making him nervous and tired. Normally, words were short and to the point. Being a mercenary was no place for chit chat.

Naruto jumped to the side just as a shinobi slammed down where he had stood a moment before. He kicked out, slamming a foot into the attacker's stomach and sending him flying. His katana was out in an eyeblink, lightning arcing on the blade.

"You know, that hurt," Konohamaru grumbled as he picked himself up. "I was just saying hi."

Naruto rolled his eye and sheathed his sword, helping the young man up. "You should know to not attack someone alone when they have sensory abilities."

"Shit, I forgot about that," Konohamaru cursed. "When did you get back?"

"Yesterday," Naruto said. "And I was looking forward to not fighting for my life for once."

Konohamaru pouted and grumbled, "Well it's not my fault you forgot about our challenge."

Naruto leaned in so his eye was inches from Konohamaru's face. He turned it black and red. "I didn't forget. Just don't want to play today."

Eyes wide, Konohamaru began to back away. "What the hell Naruto?!"

He didn't spare a word, instead turning and walking away. Konohamaru looked after him in shock and fear, not recognizing the man who had returned. Naruto walked along the road until he came to Ichiraku. He sat at the table and ordered his food, drawing up his hood to hide his face. Too many people, he thought.

"Weren't you a little harsh on him?" Ayame asked, placing his food in front of him. "He probably missed you more than most."

Naruto didn't say a word as he began to eat his ramen. He knew he was in the wrong, but wasn't going to bother with it at the moment. Now, he wanted to get away and be alone like he had grown used to.

"Oi, Naruto," Kakashi said, sitting in the seat next to him. "Mind coming with me?"

"Fine," Naruto growled. He placed payment on the counter next to the empty bowl, stood, and followed behind Kakashi. They walked towards Hokage Tower, and Naruto began to feel nervous as they neared. "What's this about, Kakashi sensei?"

"Tsunade wanted me to get you. Not sure why," Kakshi said, leading him through the myriad halls to her office.

Shizune opened the door and ushered them in, giving Naruto a soft smile. He tried to smile, but failed miserably.

"Naruto," Tsunade said. "What are your plans here at Konoha?"

"I don't know, honestly," Naruto said. He pulled out a kunai and began to examine it even though it was immaculate. "I didn't even know if I'd ever return to Konoha. I stayed awake many nights wanting to slash my head protector and never look back. It took everything for me to return. Now, I'm not sure what to do anymore."

Kakashi was chilled by his student's words. Once a protector was slashed, the shinobi in question was considered a missing nin and hunted down by the ANBU. Whether they survived the encounter, though, was another question.

Tsunade, to her credit, took this in stride. "Alright. Would you be alright accepting a mission or two in the meantime?"

Naruto sheathed his kunai and thought for a moment. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt. I do have one condition."

"And that is?" Tsunade asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Solo missions only," Naruto said. "I don't want to be matched with anyone."

Kakashi looked at Tsunade knowingly and back to Naruto. "Is this because of Jiraiya?"

Naruto stiffened. He shifted weight from one foot to the other. "Yeah. I don't want to kill anyone on my team again."

Shizune looked at Tsunade, worried. She knew that Jiraiya's death hit her hard. When she found the Hokage blackout drunk the night Naruto came back, she knew that it would be a tough few months.

"I can't do that," Tsunade said simply. "You cannot do this alone. However, I am willing to assign people you know to your team. No new faces."

Knowing he had little choice, Naruto nodded. He looked at Kakashi as his old sensei spoke up.

"What are Sakura's current duties?" the jonin asked.

Tsunade perked up slightly, her eyes taking on a mischievous look. "Oh, Sakura? She's working at the hospital, but she's really needing to go back into the field. I think she's lost some of her edge. What about you, Kakashi?"

"Little ol' me is just hanging around at the moment. I am a substitute team leader, so not much in the way of things," he said, exaggerating his thinking.

Naruto did not like the way this was going and tried to stop it. "Oi oi! Don't put me on a team with them!"

"Do you have a better pick, Naruto?" Tsunade asked coldly. "Who else would you trust to watch your back? Who else would you feel more comfortable with than your old sensei and partner?"

"Fuck," Naruto swore, throwing up his hands. "Fine! Fine, we can be Team Seven again."

"Naruto! Language," Shizune scolded.

"Besides," Kakashi said. "Team Seven has been replaced. Not to mention we're one member short."

"Naruto, I'm placing you, Sakura, and Kakashi on an official team," Tsunade said. "This will be a three member team. You are to report directly to me. As for your first mission, I have a special one in mind."

She reached onto the stack of mission scrolls on her desk and opened it with a maniacal chuckle. "It seems a certain cat is out and about again. You all can go fetch it for Madam Shijimi?"

Naruto's blood ran cold. "You mean…"

Kakashi patted him on the shoulder and began to leave, chuckling to himself. "We're going to find Tora."

How could this day get any worse?

* * *

"Naruto, you there?" Kakashi asked over the mic.

"Yeah, I'm here," Naruto sighed. Kakashi could feel his frustration over the earpiece and smiled to himself.

"Remind me why we're after this stupid cat?" Sakura grumbled. "Aren't we all chunin? We can work together with minimal effort, right?"

Kakashi knew the reason was to spite their newfound companion by the Hokage, but he managed to come up with a "reasonable" reason. "It's been over seven years since we all worked together, now we have an opportunity to figure out our strengths and weaknesses. Besides, Madam Shijimi is worried about her beloved Tora."

"And we're not all chunin," Naruto said. "I never made it to the exams since I was...out at the time."

Sakura and Kakashi were dead silent, unsure of what to say. Then, Kakashi caught the brown streak of fur shoot by him. He activated his mic and barked out his coordinates, already in pursuit of the small feline. Sakura quickly caught up to him, swearing that she'd have a new hat by day's end. Naruto was nowhere to be found, which slightly worried Kakashi. That was until they came to a small clearing where the young man stood holding the ball of fur and anger issues by the scruff.

"Found him," Naruto said dejectedly. "Can we go home now?"

Kakashi took the cat and smiled. "First, we have to return Tora and report to the Hokage. Report directly to her, remember?"

Naruto smiled, Sakura swearing he suddenly sprouted a pointed tail and horns. He began to chuckle to himself. Making a hand sign, two dozen Naruto appeared next to him.

"Naruto what are you -" Kakashi began to sputter, but Naruto was already gone along with his shadow clones. "Shit."

Sakura couldn't help it and laughed, glad to see some form of her old friend return. They began to make their way through the forest and village, eventually coming to Hokage Tower. As they were about to enter, they heard a loud thud and a scream. Then, a black mass flew from the window of the Hokage's office along with several others.

"Naruto! I swear to Kami I will punch you through a wall next time!" Tsunade roared through the broken glass.

"I guess he reported to her," Kakashi sighed.

After they returned to Tora to a very affectionate Madam Shijimi, Kakashi, Sakura, and Naruto left Hokage Tower and wandered through town. Kakashi quickly excused himself, saying he had some errands to run.

"Naruto," Sakura said. "Can I ask you something?"

Naruto turned his head to look at her. "What's up?"

"Why did you decide to take missions so soon? I mean, you only got back yesterday. Don't you want some time off? Maybe find a place so you don't have to live with Tsunade-sama?"

Shaking his head, Naruto walked to a fruit vendor. He silently picked up some apples and paid, leaving Sakura shocked. "And when did you eat fruit?"

"I was a mercenary for a time while I was gone," Naruto said, taking a bite out of an apple and tossing the other to Sakura. "I worked even when I was gone, just not for Konoha. Honestly, I haven't really stopped taking missions in years. Seems only natural to take some early. Besides, now that I have a team, I need to remember what it's like to fight on one."

"You didn't have a team?" Sakrua asked, genuinely curious. Naruto was able to make friends anywhere he went. It seemed kind of far-fetched for him to be alone.

"Nope, I was alone from the time I...you know...to the time I came back. I never wanted to get close to anyone so that if, for some reason, Kurama and I lost control I wouldn't hurt anyone I cared for."

Sakura nodded, eating away at the apple. She could see that, though something occurred to her. "Did you hurt people while you were gone?"

"Yeah," he muttered. "I hurt a lot of people. Never anyone who didn't deserve it, but I hurt a lot of people. I had a separate head protector and disguise for my missions, so it was easy to protect my identity. It helped to remove myself from the situation and become someone else."

"What did you call yourself?"

"Iyaki Takahashi, but some called me the Black Ronin. It was a moniker I ended up with, though not by choice."

She nodded, trying to remember where she heard that name from. Was it in a report? "How did you stop people from recognizing you?"

He reached into his bag and pulled out another head protector, though this one had the kanji for 'ronin' on it, rather than the Konoha leaf. Then, he reached under his chin and pulled up the collar of his shirt so that it covered his nose and below.

"I got the idea from Kakashi sensei," he said. "I didn't want Konoha to get wind of me, so I kept this look for a few years. Eventually, I decided to 'kill' Iyaki and retire, per say."

"Damn," she said. "Why go that far?"

"In some ways," he said, stopping in his tracks. "I wanted to forget Konoha, and for Konoha to forget about me."

"Naruto," Sakura said again, turning to him. "I would never forget about you."

**Holy crap! This was a fun chapter to write, though I wish I could have ended it differently. Alas, this is already almost 2500 words and I want to keep them around 2000. So, please leave a review if you like and any feedback/ideas are appreciated. Thanks and have a good one!**


	4. Chapter 4

Naruto pulled down the mask and smiled. "Thanks, Sakura."

"Oi, look what the cat dragged in," a man yelled from down the street.

Sakura and Naruto looked and found Kiba walking to them. Hinata was on his arm, her eyes wide with shock. The Inuzuka grinned as he approached them, his eyes lingering on Sakura. He gave Naruto a smirk, sizing him up.

"Hey Kiba," Naruto said, offering a hand.

Kiba growled, baring his fangs and narrowing his eyes. "What the hell are you doing here, Uzumaki?"

"Kiba, chill," Sakura said. "What the hell has gotten into you?"

Naruto put a hand on her shoulder and stepped next to her. "Sakura, it's fine. Honestly, after Ino reacted like that, I was surprised more of you didn't. As for you, Kiba, would you mind answering her?"

"Fuck you Uzumaki," Kiba snarled. "I don't have to do shit for you or her."

Naruto shrugged and began to walk past the two, motioning for Sakura to follow him. "Well, if you don't have anything to say, we'll be going now."

He stopped as Kiba grabbed his shoulder with a clawed hand. He cast a look at Kiba, thoroughly disinterested. Naruto reached up and took Kiba's hand off his shoulder, letting it drop to the shinobi's side. "You mind? I'm trying to have a nice walk with my teammate?"

Kiba and Hinata looked at Sakura in question. She just stood there and glanced from them to Naruto. "Yeah, we were just paired today. Had our first mission with Kakashi sensei."

"You did what?" Kiba shouted. "You already got onto a team with this traitor?"

Naruto looked around, noticing that everyone had stopped and were staring at them. He looked Kiba in the eye, letting his own turn black. "Kiba, are you wanting a fight?"

The Inuzuka smirked again and shrugged his arm free from Hinata's grasp. "Maybe I do. Why? What're you going to do about it?"

They were suddenly gone, leaving nothing behind but a cloud of dust. Sakura and Hinata looked at each other, dumbfounded. Then, Sakura's mic earpiece came alive, startling her.

"Sakura, can you meet me by the training field? I think this is number eight. Bring Hinata."

The line went dead, and Sakura sighed. "Hinata, we need to go to training field eight apparently."

The Hyuuga looked at Sakura in shock. "How did they get there so fast?"

_Probably Kurama_, Sakura thought. Instead of saying anything, she shrugged and lead Hinata through the village to the training fields. There were ten stretched out around the wall of Konoha. Each one was massive, allowing squads to train without much restraint if needed. Sakura knew, deep down, that even three fields wouldn't be enough if someone like Naruto or Kakashi really let go and went full out.

When they arrived, Naruto sitting on a struggling Kiba. One of his arms was Naruto's grip, the other unable to reach the blond. Naruto let it go and jumped away, leaving Kiba to get to his feet. Hinata rushed over to Kiba and checked him over, though the Inuzuka nearly threw her off.

"You damn bastard," Kiba swore. "What the hell did you do?"

Naruto took out an apple and took a bite. "Nothing really. I just dragged you out here so that we can do this without villagers in the way."

_But how did you get here that fast?_ Sakura wanted to ask. Fortunately, Hinata beat her to the punch.

"Just something I picked up in Cloud country," Naruto said. "It uses lightning release. Basically, I enhanced my own speed using my chakra. I didn't even use Kurama's chakra."

"Who the hell is Kurama?" Kiba growled.

"The fox," Sakura said. "His name is Kurama."

"And now the demon fox has a name," laughed Kiba. "You've stooped low, Uzumaki. Maybe when you turned traitor, you allowed the demon to take you over."

The air cooled as Naruto fixed Kiba in a glare that could break ice. "You don't know what I've been through."

Kiba took this as an affirmative and, unfortunately, decided to push further. "You hurt someone? You and that demon fox hurt that pervy guy you left with? What? Did you _kill_ him?"

"Kiba!" Sakura shouted. "Enough."

"Come on demon fox," Kiba laughed. "Show me what you've got."

"Tell you what, Kiba," Naruto said with a smile. "I won't use any jinjuriki abilities. Not a single on. I'll even avoid using my kunai and throwing stars. Sakura, can you hold these for me?"

She nodded and walked over to him, wondering what he could be thinking. Kiba may be a piece of scum, but he was far from a pushover. Sakura was further surprised when Naruto passed her his cloak and katana, leaving him with only the clothes on his back. As she walked back, Kiba was visibly getting flustered.

"You mocking me Uzumaki?" he demanded.

"Nope," Naruto said. "I just want to play as close to fair as it can get. You see, Kiba, while you've been on missions for Konoha, I've been fighting every damn day for my life. I've put more men in the ground than all our class together."

"That so?" Kiba said, cracking his knuckles. "Then allow me to send you to them."

He leaped at Naruto before the other could answer, using the Inuzuka-style taijutsu that had made the clan fearsome fighters. It had many strengths, such as the raw ferocity and agility in the Inuzukas, but that all failed if the blows failed to hit their intended target. Before Sakura and Hinata's eyes, Kiba launched an assault that Rock Lee would be proud of, only to have it miss completely at every turn. Naruto seemed to avoid the blows with ease, his gaze never leaving Kiba for a moment.

Sakura was amazed, but realized that Akamaru had been nowhere to be seen while they were in the market. She looked around, sure that the canine companion never left his partner. Her curiosity was rewarded as a white streak flashed from the nearby woods, straight at Naruto.

"Naruto!" she screamed, terrified that Akamaru would land a savage blow on Naruto.

He didn't even look as the beast hurtled towards him. Naruto simply jumped back and lashed out with a kick. The timing was perfect, and Akamaru was sent tumbling into Kiba with a whimper.

"You bastard," roared Kiba. "What the hell did you do to Akamaru?"

"When fighting another shinobi," Naruto said softly, "you have to fight with all your resolve. Fight with all your strength. Otherwise, the consequences can be death. Trust me, no one comes back from that."

Kiba glared at Naruto, standing slowly as Akamaru growled at the other shinobi. He grunted and dropped to all fours, his body slowly being surrounded by chakrar. His hair began to grow longer as well as his fangs and claws. "Beast Imitation Art: Four Legs Technique."

"As I said, fight with all your resolve," Naruto said. "You'll lose completely otherwise."

The two Inuzuka launched themselves at Naruto, snarling and growling. Their taijutsu was fast, almost too fast for Sakura to keep up with easily. Hinata activated her byakugan, curious to see how Naruto would handle the attack. She was shocked to see that he had no defenses. There was no chakra surrounding him, no seals, not even a ninjutsu to defend himself with.

It turned out seconds later that Naruto didn't need any of those. Kiba and Akamaru slammed down on him, but were thrown back by a savage display of peek form taijutsu. Each blow contained strength that was only brought on by extreme effort and the will to survive, not just win. Naruto watched them fall with something akin to sorrow. He didn't want to fight his friends, but Kiba had made it clear that the two weren't friends. Still, Naruto hated this.

"Enough, Kiba," he said. "You've lost."

"No, not yet," Kiba snarled, spitting blood from a gashed lip. "You still haven't dropped. That means this fight still goes."

"Are you willing to die for this Kiba?"

The Inuzuka was shocked by the question. "Are you threatening me?"

"No," Naruto said as he gathered his belongings from Sakura. "Just a fact. If you continue this stupid vendetta against me for no reason, I _will_ kill you. I won't hesitate, I won't show mercy. Those are traits that, in the life I lived for too long, were not capable. Do not make me take you down too."

With that, Naruto began to walk back to the gates of Konoha. As he flung his bag over his shoulder, he glanced back at the wounded Inuzuka. "Akamaru will be fine. You will too. You'll just bruise up."

Sakura saw the blow coming from Kiba and moved to avoid it. Naruto, on the other hand, just stood there, a deep sadness showing in his eyes. Before the strike could impact him, he released the power he had been keeping in check. Suddenly, he was surrounded by a cloud of purple chakra. Sakura felt the force of it and shuddered to think about what he could do if he truly wanted to.

Kiba's eyes widened and he stopped dead as the ground beneath Naruto began to crack and split under the sheer force of his chakra.

"Do you see now, Kiba?" Naruto said, his voice rich with the same sadness that was in his eyes. "Do you see the difference in our power? You never stood a chance. If even this is not enough, ask your uncle, Gaza I think is the name, about the time he met the Black Ronin"

He walked away, Sakura following close behind, leaving Kiba and Hinata to look onward.

**Okay! So, here's yet another chapter tonight. I wanted to display just how powerful Naruto is compared to the classmates he has. I know there was some (okay, a lot) of Kiba bashing, but sue me! I don't really like Kiba and felt he made a decent first obstacle (aside from Tora that is). As always, please review! Thanks, and have a good one!**


	5. Chapter 5

Sakura and Naruto walked through the forest in silence. She couldn't help but look at him with a mixture of amazement, curiosity, and fear. Naruto had always been powerful once he set his mind to it, but she could have never predicted this. It was amazing, but also terrifying.

Naruto looked at her, and she was surprised to see his eye tearing up. "Sakura, I'm sorry," he choked out. "I'm so sorry you had to see that."

"Naruto, don't feel bad," she said with a smile. Hesitantly, Sakura reached out to cup his chin in her hand, forcing him to look at her. "You had no choice. Kiba was being stupid. I won't blame you for his actions. You could have hurt him. Hell, you could have killed him, but you didn't. You still have a big heart Naruto."

"I just," he began, but was stopped when Sakura put his face in her shoulder. Naruto broke down, his tears soaking into her shirt. He never wanted to fight his friends again. He felt disgusted at himself, and his sorrow broke his heart.

"You don't have to explain to me," she said, stroking his back comfortingly. "Just be Naruto, and I will always stand beside you."

She could feel the wounds lurking beneath his skin, the wounds that no medical nin could heal. Sakura wanted nothing more than to help him. She wanted to see that bright smile that had lit up so many dreary days. She wanted to hear his laugh and see his happiness.

"Sakura," he whispered. "Don't leave me. Please."

Something in her heart broke from hearing those words. The pain behind them was immense, born of a terror that had itself been born from loss. Tears began to well up in her own eyes, but she pushed them back. She had to be strong for Naruto, like he had done for her so many times. "Like I said, be Naruto," she said. Sakura pushed him back enough to see her face. "As long as you are true to yourself, I will never leave you."

"I promise I will," he smiled, wiping away the tears. "I'll be worthy of that one day."

She couldn't help it and laughed, fresh tears touching her cheeks. "Naruto, you idiot. You already are. I waited seven years for you to come back, praying every day to Kami that you'd show up through those gates again. Do you think I'd leave you that quickly?"

Naruto just scratched the back of his head, smiling softly. "I guess not."

Sakura nodded and grabbed his arm, leading him along the path towards Konoha. "Come on! You need an apartment, right? Well, they aren't going to look for themselves."

He just allowed himself to be pulled along. The dark thoughts slowly faded, replaced by an unfamiliar feeling. It was warm, relaxing his body and bringing a large smile to his face again. Naruto looked at Sakura as she happily dragged him along. Then it hit him: he was falling for Sakura.

Immediately, he cursed inwardly. This was neither the time nor place. He couldn't allow himself to fall for her. Jiraiya's death was still fresh in his mind.

"Sakura," he said, stopping.

She looked at him, confused. "Yeah? What's up?"

He swallowed nervously and said, "I'm going to pass on apartments today. I'll stay with Granny Tsunade again tonight."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he muttered, walking away. "I'll see you later."

Sakura looked after him, both confused and hurt. She didn't know if she said something or if he had taken something the wrong way. Either way, it hurt that he'd just leave her again. Shaking her head, she banished those thoughts away. Naruto needed her to be strong. She thought about what they had said and began to walk to Konoha intent on asking Kakashi if she'd said anything.

* * *

Kakashi stood outside of the dango shop. Icha Icha was open, a small blush coloring his cheeks as he read through a particularly sensual page. Anko dragged him, Guy, Asuna, and Kurenai here at least once a week. Of course, Kakashi somehow always managed to get stuck with her bill, but he didn't mind.

"Yo, Kakashi!" Asuna called, walking up the path. "Still reading that book?"

"Yeah? What of it?" he grumbled, putting the book in his bag.

Asuma patted him on the shoulder with a bold laugh. "We really need to find you a girlfriend." He immediately leered at Kakashi. "Or maybe Anko has filled that position?"

"Shut up," Kakashi said. "She isn't like that."

"Not yet you mean," Guy said as he jumped down next to the pair. He gave Kakashi a thumbs up, his teeth nearly glinting. "Kakashi! Having a special someone is a wonderful part of being youthful! Embrace it my old rival."

Asuma sighed and pulled out a cigarette. He lit a match and took a puff. "You know Kakashi, we aren't getting any younger. Maybe it's time to find someone?"

Kakashi just looked away as Anko and Kurenai walked up. He avoided Kurenai's look, but smiled as Anko gave him a broad smile. "Yo guys! You ready to get wasted?"

"It's only the middle of the day," Asuma huffed. "You've got a problem, Anko."

She pointed a finger at him, or rather, his cigarette. "You have a problem with those death sticks!" she roared, already walking into the eating area. "I need dango."

"Of course," Kakashi chuckled, catching a look from Asuma.

They sat at their usual table as a server walked up, offering menus. Guy took one with gusto, his eyes roaming around the assorted foods. Everyone else ordered their usuals, with Anko ordering nearly three meals of just dango.

"I still don't know how you keep that figure," Kurenai said, giving Anko a disturbed look.

Anko just winked at Kakashi, sending shivers up his spine. "I get plenty of exercise."

He just chuckled and found Kurenai glaring daggers at him. "What is it, Kurenai?"

"You know damn well what, Kakashi," she spat. "Naruto sent Kiba to the hospital! The poor boy was half scared to death!"

Asuma and Guy looked at Kakashi questioningly. He held up his hands, equally shocked. "I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't seen them since breakfast time."

"Woah, woah," Anko said. "Naruto's back?"

Guy's eyes lit up, and Asuma just rolled his eyes in exasperation. Kakashi nodded. "He got back yesterday. Tsunade-sama put the two of us and Sakura on a team again."

"Well, tell us how he is!" she roared, slamming a hand on the table. "We were all worried sick!"

"He's...changed," Kakashi said slowly. "I'm not under any obligation, but there are some things that shouldn't get out right now. For his sake."

"Kakashi, we aren't going to tell anyone," Asuma said. "Really, it's just us who hang out. I'm not even sure I have any other friends outside of this circus anymore."

Anko pouted at him but agreed. "We aren't going to tell, Kakashi. We promise."

He sighed, but waited as their server returned with their food. When she was out of earshot, he gave them a grave look. "He killed Jiraiya while he was training under him. That happened four years ago."

A silence settled over their table, broken only when Anko spoke. "Is he okay?"

Kakashi shook his head, pulling down his mask and taking a drink of her sake. "No. He broke down yesterday and ran away when Sakura asked him about Jiraiya. Something in him is darker, far more dangerous."

"Why did he kill him?" Kurenai asked, her face showing concern.

"It wasn't him. They were attacked, and he lost an eye in the process. I'm guessing Jiraiya was injured as well, because he lost control and went berserk. While in that state, Jiraiya tried to seal away Kurama and failed."

"Who's Kurama?" Guy asked.

"The demon fox," Kakashi said. "Naruto's original seal was incomplete, and Kurama has been under the hypnosis of a sharingan since he attacked the village. Naruto fixed the seal, healing him."

"Damn," Asuma swore. He took a long drag of his cigarette and looked at the sky. "That's horrible."

"Yeah," Kakashi said sadly. "He blames himself for it all. Even Kurama hates himself. They're both broken on the inside. I'm not sure how to fix it this time."

They all looked at their friend in concern. Each of them had lost people to the fox nineteen years prior. They had all dealt with it in one way or another, but this was something else entirely. Naruto, the happy and carefree boy they had come to love, had killed his own sensei and now hated himself. Suddenly, they had all lost their appetite.

"Kakashi sensei!" Sakura shouted, trying to find him.

He waved her down, an uneasy feeling growing sharply. "Sakura, what's going on?"

"Naruto vanished again," she said. "He ran after I said I'd help him find an apartment."

Kakashi stood, as did the others. "We have to find him. Can you help us?"

Kurenai shook her head. "I have to make sure Kiba's going to be fine. After, no problem."

They split up, each jonin going in separate directions. Kakashi and Sakura stuck together, unwilling to lose another of their team. Everyone searched for hours, but Anko was the one who found him.

He sat atop Hokage Rock, his feet hanging off the edge. From where she stood, his face was a mask of pain, rage, and sorrow the likes of which she rarely saw outside of ANBU. Even then, they weren't as deep as this. She approached slowly, calling his name.

Naruto looked at her. "What do you want Anko sensei?"

She smiled at him, offering him a hand. "Sakura found us and was worried. We decided to see where you had scampered off to."

He looked away towards the setting sun. "I come here to think."

"Mind if I sit next to you?" she asked. When he didn't say anything, she dropped next to him and took out a sake bottle from her jacket. "Want a drink?"

"Couldn't hurt."

They sat there for a little, passing the bottle between them. Eventually, she spoke. "It's beautiful up here."

"Yeah. I've seen my dad up here for years without knowing," he said, taking a deep drink.

"The Yondaime, right?"

"Yeah. I only found out recently when Kurama showed me his own memories of the attack. My dad was a hero, wasn't he?"

Anko nodded. "He really was. He gave everything for this village."

"Why did he deserve to have a failure of a son?" he screamed, punching the ground next to him.

She gingerly set a hand on his head, rubbing his hair. "Why do you say that? I think you're a pretty cool guy."

"I killed Jiraiya!" he roared, turning to her. Tears fell down, darkening the rocks he sat on. "I killed his teacher and mine. I couldn't protect one of the people who mattered most to me. How am I supposed to look at this and not feel guilty for being a failure?"

Anko smiled at him. She knew what he was feeling to some extent. "You still feel guilty after all this time, huh? That's something I actually envy."

"What do you mean?"

She looked at the setting sun. "I don't feel that way, not for long anyways. I worked in ANBU for good reason. I could kill anyone and not feel bad for too long. I'm not sure what that says about me, but I think you feel bad because you still care."

"Then why does it hurt so much?"

"Naruto, for as long as I've known you, you've struggled. You endured the hatred of this village, both the villagers and shinobi. Even when you were beaten down, you always got back up. I saw you several times while you were under Kakashi, and I have to say, you've grown more and more into what I imagined your father was," she said. "I didn't know the man too well, but I think Kakashi would agree. You care for this village and her people. You care for your friends and family. You care so much that it hurts because you have such a big heart."

He looked at her, shocked.

"You have a big heart. That's not something to be ashamed of. Don't regret it, embrace it," she said. "You will be a great shinobi someday. Even I can see that. Just don't lose sight of your friends and family. Why do you think I drag Kakashi everywhere?"

Naruto chuckled, his tears drying up. "I thought you loved him or something."

It was her turn to be shocked. "Huh. I guess you're right. I never thought about it, but now that you say it, it makes sense."

"Just ask him," Naruto said. "I've seen him look at you the same way."

"See? You've got a big heart. You see something in others that they themselves don't. You're always willing to forgive. However, you have to forgive yourself too."

"Naruto!" Sakura cried.

Anko and Naruto turned and saw her and Kakashi running to them. Sakura's face was red from exertion, and Kakashi's composed mask was gone. They stopped, Sakrua doubling over panting.

"Don't you ever do that again," she said between breaths.

"Sakura, I -"

He was interrupted when she kissed him suddenly, nearly throwing him off Hokage Rock. Naruto was shocked, then just surrendered to her affection. When they broke apart, he saw the worry in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Sakura."

"You idiot," she sobbed. "Don't you fucking do that agian. I'll break your legs to keep you with me if I have to. Even if you don't love me. I love you Naruto Uzumaki."

Anko watched happily as he leaned in and returned the kiss, one hand in her hair while the other rested on her hip.

"Kakashi, let's go," she laughed. "We have something to talk about."

He just looked at her questioningly. "What is it?"

She just winked and gestured with her finger. "Just come and find out."

**Well damn! This was honestly a tricky chapter to write. I went through five iterations, I think. However, I finished on a sweet note! Please tell me what you think! Thanks and have a good one!**


	6. Chapter 6

Naruto woke up slowly, the first light of the day streaming through the window. The room wasn't familiar, but when he looked to his side, there was a _very_ familiar face. He smiled, gently stroking her hair as she slept. The memories of the night before ran through his mind, forcing him to crack a smile. They had made their way to her apartment where they had slept together. He still couldn't believe that she was shocked that it was his first time. When he moved to get up, she mumbled something and wrapped her arms around him tighter.

"Sakura," he whispered, gently blowing on her face. "Hey. Good morning."

She opened her deep green eyes and smiled at him, nuzzling her nose against his. Their lips came together in a deep kiss before she realized what they did. A look of shock crossed her face as she looked underneath the blanket to their nude bodies. "Did we?"

"Yup," he chuckled, standing. "We did."

Sakura began to laugh. Naruto looked at her like she was crazy, asking, "What's so funny?"

"For the longest time, I wanted my first time to be with Sasuke," she laughed. "But now that I did with you, I'm realizing how stupid I was all those years."

He just smiled as he dressed in loose pants and a shirt. She crawled over to him and stood on her knees, wrapping her arms around his neck. He kissed her again, letting his hands run over her body. Naruto was the first to break away. "What's on the roster for the day?"

"Well, I need to run to the hospital today for my dismissal papers," she said. "Then, we should find Anko to thank her for finding you yesterday."

Naruto's face reddened. "About that...I'm so sorry for running away again. I need to stop doing that."

"You've been through a lot," Sakura said. She walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower. "I'm not going to blame you for wanting to run. Just, from now on, talk to me okay? Even if it's later, I want you to talk to me or Kakashi. We're always going to be here for you."

He blushed as she shook her butt at him. "Besides, you still have something to do," she said, gesturing for him to go into the shower with her. He just smiled again and undressed before following her. Naruto was still surprised. Two days back and he already had a sensei and a girlfriend he loved more than anything in the world.

Later that day, they were walking down the same road that Kiba challenged Naruto, hand in hand. A few times, people looked in shock at the couple. Some looked at them in disgust; others, with horror. Sakura noticed this, and whispered to Naruto, "Why are people looking at us like that?"

"Not you," he whispered back. "They're looking at me. Same looks I've been getting all my life, so just roll with it."

She just nodded, only now realizing just how hard Naruto's childhood was for him. If that was just the looks he was getting, she shuddered to think what he also endured. The memory of her fingers running over the scar on his back suddenly came to the forefront. "Naruto, that scare on your back. How did you get it?"

He stiffened beside her, and she feared that he would run away. Instead, he just kept holding onto her hand like it was the most precious thing in the world. "I got branded. It says 'demon.'"

"Holy shit," she gasped. His eyes held onto hers, calming the storm that was rising in her mind.

"Don't worry," he smiled. "As long as I've got you, there's nothing in this world that I can't endure."

"Now isn't that just cheesy as all hell," Anko said as she appeared behind them. The two jumped as she spoke, making her laugh loudly. "Chill you guys. I'm just out for a walk with my own boyfriend."

Sakura looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I don't think the people you keep in your sex dungeon count as boyfriends."

"Now that's just mean," Kakashi said, appearing behind them from the other direction. They jumped again, Naruto glaring at Kakashi.

"Why, Kakashi-sensei? Why do you need to give me a heart attack?"

"Oh you'll be fine," Anko laughed. "He made a good point last night and I came to find you. I guess I owe you a thanks, squirt."

He and Sakura just looked at them as they held hands. Sakura just put a hand on her hip. "No way, I don't believe it. Kakashi, does she have something on you? Are you poisoned?"

"No, nothing happened like that," Kakashi said. "Though, things did happen."

"And I bet you know all about that, don't you Sakura," Anko said, leering at the chunin. "You and Naruto did it, didn't you guys?"

Naruto facepalmed, and Sakura just blushed until her face was as red as an apple. "How...how did you know?"

Kakashi tapped his nose. "We can smell it."

"But we showered," Naruto protested. "We showered _twice_."

"Doesn't mask everything kid," Anko said proudly. "We can still smell the sickly-sweet pheromones off you and your partner."

_Why is she so proud of that_, Naruto wondered. "You don't need to announce it though."

"On the contrary," Gai bellowed as he landed next to the four of them. "Being with a woman is the greatest fruit of the youthful. Enjoy it, Naruto. Be proud and shout it from the rooftops!"

"I don't think so, Gai-sensei," Naruto muttered.

"Anyways, off we go," Anko said as she dragged Kakashi behind her. "Seeya!"

Gai followed after them, much to Anko's displeasure. She started to shout at him, throwing random things lying around. Naruto and Sakura looked onwards, not sure what to think.

"That," Sakura said, "was strange."

"Too strange," Naruto agreed. "Anyways, did you want to wait to announce us as a couple?"

"We've been holding hands all day," she smiled. "I think people can put two and two together."

They walked down the road again, silently enjoying each other's company. Naruto stopped by the same apple vendor and got a few, happily munching on one as they walked. Sakura took one too, happy to see that Naruto was eating more than ramen nowadays. As they walked, Ino and Choji came upon them.

"Yo, Naruto!" Choji yelled, waving to him.

"Hey Choji," Naruto said. He looked at Ino. "Ino."

She refrained from responding, forcing Choji to nervously chuckle to himself. "Sorry, she's still upset about the big reveal. What're you two doing together."

Sakura held up their hands. "We're officially dating."

"By Kami," Choji sighed. "You two finally did. Thank you to all the gods."

Naruto gave him a peeved look. "Hey, we didn't take too long."

"Four years, Naruto," Choji laughed. "Four long, excruciating years."

"Point taken," Naruto conceded. "What are you two doing?"

Choji pointed to the nearby barbeque restaurant. "Headed there. Asuma-sensei wanted to get us all something for passing the chunin exams. We've been so busy with missions, we haven't celebrated yet."

"Did everyone get to be chunins while I was gone?"

"Pretty much," Ino said triumphantly. "You didn't take them, did you? Does that mean you're still a genin?"

"Officially," Naruto said simply.

Choji raised an eyebrow at him. "Unofficially?"

"Jonin," Sakura said. "He's probably on Kakashi-sensei's level. You heard about the fight, right?"

Ino just glared at Naruto in lieu of answering. Choji nodded. "Yeah, heard you beat Kiba pretty bad. What happened?"

"The ass decided to pick a fight here," Naruto said. "I took us to training field eight and beat him. Didn't actually beat him though, just bruised him. I don't think I even broke bones."

He pulled out a small notebook and pen from his pack and began to furiously write down something. Sakura peeked over, whistling to herself. On the paper, there was a detailed account of the fight. "What's with the recordkeeping?"

"I want to have a physical sign of my progression," Naruto explained. "I have every fight outside of a mission for the last five years."

"How many fights?" Choji asked.

Naruto flipped through the book, silently counting to himself. "Looks like 261," he said. "262 after Kiba."

"Well shit. Remind me not to get on your bad side," Choji laughed. "We've got to go. Bye guys!"

Naruto and Sakura once again started down the road, heading towards the hospital. As they walked, Naruto began to notice a steadily increasing amount of shinobi mixed in with the villagers. He asked Sakura if there were any conflicts at the moment, she just shook her head. "There's been a rise in bandits in the area. These aren't normal bandits, though. These are trained and well equipped. They've been designated an A-ranked threat. Only elite chunin and jonin are allowed to go after them."

Naruto nodded, thinking to himself. "Maybe Grandma Tsunade can give us a mission to get rid of them?"

"I doubt it," Sakura said. "I'm not nearly good enough. I'd be hard pressed to keep up with you and Kakashi-sensei on a mission like that."

"Then we'll just have to work on your fighting," Naruto smiled. "I can teach you my taijutsu."

"You have a taijutsu?" Sakura asked as they entered the hospital. "Since when?"

Naruto just stopped and looked around nervously, his free hand settling beside his weapon pouch. His eyes darted from side to side, taking in everything.

"Naruto?"

He shook his head and looked at her, steadying himself. Naruto reminded himself that he was with Sakura. "I'm good. Where are we going?"

"Records," she said. "It's over by the psych-center. You sure you're okay?"

Naruto licked his lips nervously. "I'm going to wait outside, if it's all the same to you."

Sakura smiled at him reassuringly and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll be back soon."

He walked out the front door and leaned against a tree. Pulling out a scroll, he began to read the fuinjutsu notes he managed to accumulate in his travels. He carried a meager fragment of what he had access to, but he couldn't risk raising suspicion. There would be a headhunt if anyone knew what he had. Soon, he was lost in the notes, fuinjutsu formulae and possibilities running through his mind.

"Well well, look what we have here?"

Naruto looked up and narrowed his eyes as several shinobi approached him. The lead shinobi, a man Naruto had never seen before, cracked his knuckles as he glared at him.

"Can I help you?" Naruto said, rolling up the scroll and replacing it in his bag.

"Yeah, can you tell us where that damn demon fox went?" The men behind him laughed at his so-called joke.

"As you can see, I'm right here," Naruto sighed. "However, I'm going to guess you want to fight?"

The man grew more frustrated and slammed a fist against the tree no more than an inch away from his face. Naruto didn't even blink as the man began to snarl at him. "You are just some punk that thinks you can move in on my girl?"

"I'm sorry? I'm not following?"

"Sakura, you idiot," the shinobi growled. "You took her, didn't you?"

Naruto frowned. "I didn't do anything she didn't want to do. Besides, she doesn't belong to anyone. I suggest you try and remember that."

"Oh shut the fuck up. Kunoichi are so weak. They need a strong shinobi to take care of them. I mean, who else are they going to breed with? It's all they're good for."

"You apparently didn't hear me," Naruto said. He grabbed the man's forearm and twisted it so that the man dropped to his knees with a cry of pain. Naruto slammed a foot down on the man's other hand, pinning it to the ground. "I said she doesn't belong to anyone. Not me, and definitely not you. Now, take your morning shits and walk away while I'm still playing nice."

"Let go of him," yelled one of the shinobi as eh charged Naruto with a kunai drawn.

"Do you all have ears?" Naruto asked. He held up his other hand and caught the man's wrist, squeezing while he screamed as several bones broke. "I said I'd only play nice for so long."

"What the hell is this?" Sakura demanded as she walked up to Naruto. "Shichiki? What the hell are you doing here?"

"You know this dirtbag?" Naruto said as he let go of the man's wrist.

"Yeah. Can you please let go of his arm too?"

Naruto nodded and let go. The man named Shichiki jumped to his feet, holding his heavily-broken arm against his body. He glared from Naruto to Sakura. "Sakura, babe. How're you doing?"

"Don't call me that," Sakura growled. "I've told you before that we are done. Stop harassing me or I'll take it further."

"What? Are you actually friends with this demon fuck?"

He went flying as Sakura punched him, her face a mask of pure rage. She glared at the others in the group. "I'm a doctor. I can break your bones and heal them as many times as I want. I can make it so that no one knows."

They went pale as they ran, stumbling over each other in their haste. Naruto just fell back laughing, holding his stomach. "Oh that's awesome," he said. "You sent them packing."

"I'm not going to let anyone talk to you like that again," Sakura said. "You okay?"

"Of course. Honestly, I'm glad you came when you did. Normally, I'd break both of their arms, but I want to make a good impression on Grandma Tsunade."

Just then, a man dressed in ANBU gear with a monkey mask appeared next to them. "Uzumaki-san, Haruno-san. The Hokage requests your presence immediately."

They looked at each other, but followed after the ANBU. Naruto could feel a sense of dread form in his gut. Something wasn't right. He just hoped that it wasn't who he thought it was.

**Hello all! Thank you for the patience while I deal with life. Here's chapter 6 in Trials of Life. Please review and feel free to PM me with questions or suggestions. Thanks and have a good one!**


	7. Apologies

**Dear Readers,**

**I have some unfortunate news: early last week, my laptop was subjected to a power surge that fried it. What this means is that I lost all of my notes, chapters, **_**everything**_ **for the following fanfictions:**

**\- Crossing the Divide Revised (Ben 10)**

**\- Fox Emperor of the West (Naruto)**

**\- Rebirth of a Sage (Naruto)**

**\- Trials of Live (Naruto)**

**I am so, so sorry that this happened. I had yet to save the documents to Google Drive or any other external source. For now, these stories will be on hiatus. I am NOT abandoning these stories, although if one of you would like to adopt one I will not be opposed, just pm me. I will be reviewing the stories and will be recreating the notes as best I can and I will hopefully be updating them sometime in the next few months. Again, I am so, so sorry for this to happen. Please review and tell me if you'd like to see these stories continued. For now, thanks and have a good one.**

**\- FrostyTheDragon**


	8. UPDATE

Hello fellow sapiens!

I will be redoing Trials of Life. I keep coming back to it and reading it, so I finally decided to take it up again. Currently, I hope to have the first three chapters up and running in two weeks, and will be updating once a week from there.

The story will be mostly the same, though some events and context may change. Please feel free to PM me with ideas or suggestions. I will also be introducing _some_ oc's, meaning I will need names. Further details will be in the author's notes in further chapters.

Thanks and have a good one!


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